sheetunderthecompellingspellofwizardPinkerton。DollarsofmineweretackingofftheshoresofMexico，inperilofthedeepandtheguarda-costas；theyrangonsaloon-countersinthecityofTombstone，Arizona；theyshoneinfaro-tentsamongthemountaindiggings；theimaginationflaggedinfollowingthem，sowideweretheydiffused，sobrisklytheyspantotheturningofthewizard’scrank。Buthere，there，oreverywhereIcouldstilltellmyselfitwasallmine，andwhatwasmoreconvincing，drawsubstantialdividends。Myfortune，Icalledit；anditrepresented，whenexpressedindollars，orevenBritishpounds，anhonestpotofmoney；whenextendedintofrancs，averitablefortune。PerhapsIhaveletthecatoutofthebag；perhapsyouseealreadywheremyhopeswerepointing，andbegintoblamemyinconsistency。ButImustfirsttellyoumyexcuse，andthechangethathadbefallenPinkerton。
AboutaweekafterthepicnictowhichheescortedMamie，Pinkertonavowedthestateofhisaffections。FromwhatIhadobservedonboardthesteamer，wheremethoughtMamiewaitedonhimwithherlimpideyes，Iencouragedthebashfullovertoproceed；andtheverynexteveninghewascarryingmetocallonhisaffianced。
“Youmustbefriendher，Loudon，asyouhavealwaysbefriendedme。”hesaid，pathetically。
“Bysayingdisagreeablethings？Idoubtifthatbethewaytoayounglady’sfavour。”Ireplied；“andsincethispicnickingI
begintobeamanofsomeexperience。”